Shohei Ohtani has a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will not pitch again this season, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday night in Anaheim, California, a shocking twist in the lead-up to arguably the most highly anticipated free agency in baseball history.
Ohtani exited his start in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds earlier Wednesday after recording just four outs and throwing only 26 pitches.
A subsequent MRI revealed the tear, though Minasian said he did not know the severity of it. Ohtani nonetheless insisted on serving as the designated hitter in Game 2, ultimately going 1-for-5 in the Angels' 7-3 loss, and will seek secondary opinions to determine his next step.
One option, of course, is Tommy John surgery, a procedure he already underwent on his right elbow in October 2018 and one that would keep him off the mound for the entirety of the 2024 season — a development that would significantly affect a free agent sweepstakes that many expected to yield a $500-plus million contract. «As far as plans and details, I don't have those yet,» Minasian said at Angel Stadium. «I've been in contact with his representation.